Best Substrate To Grow In?

[Yurusumaji]

So I am working on changing some things in GusGus' habitat and first on the list is substrate. He's on Cage Carpet right now and I hate it and I'd be willing to bet he's not the biggest fan of it, either.

I have been looking at all the different enclosures on here and the ones I have really liked best so far are the ones that are growing plants right there in the substrate. It looks natural and I like that it provides constant food and shelter sources for the tortoise, too.

So, some questions.

1. What's the best substrate/mix to grow in?
2. How often will I have to change out the substrate?
3. If I end up having to change out the substrate, will it harm the plants I already grew?

I have also been seeing a lot of discussion on keeping the substrate moist. I read that moist substrate has to be changed more often and can develop fungus and mold issues. How do you keep the substrate moist without it developing these issues?

 

[Yvonne G]

Just for everyone's benefit, Gus Gus is a Greek tortoise.

My favorite substrate is orchid bark. It comes from fir trees and is processed very cleanly with no herbicides, pesticides, etc., because orchids are susceptible to that sort of thing. You can keep it moist, even wet and it doesn't sour or mold. The tortoise can eat it and it is not harmful.

For my baby box turtle tub I put down a 3" layer of potting soil (with no perlite), then a 2" layer of orchid bark over the top of that. I plant different types of plants in the soil, but I leave them in their pots. I try to buy plants in small pots so the rim of the pot us down even with the top of the substrate. Then when I water the plants, I only have to water the pots and not the whole substrate, which I sprinkle about once a week (unless it dries out quicker than that).

Since I bring my baby box turtles in the house for the winter, I will dump the potting soil in the fall and start with clean, fresh stuff again in the spring. So, once a season is when I change the substrate.

I don't keep Greek tortoises, so I don't know if they can stand to have their habitat as moist as this. I know that a lot of people keep Greek tortoises on aspen bedding, which cannot be wet at all or it molds.